I've ordered from Jim's before and I placed another order from him this year. You are right that he has plants that no one else has. Last year my plants arrived in a rather flaccid state. But I soaked them in water for a few hours before planting and kept them well watered once planted. They recovered and performed well in my garden.

I have ordered from him before, all the plants Ive gotten have been good. Some were kind of small but they have all performed well. His selection is outstanding, if you are looking for a particular plant chances are you can find it there.

I had the same experience. I bought a Venus from him, as he was the only one who had it. They shipped anyway when I asked them to wait a week for the heat to break. The plant has recovered just fine, although it's small after being fried in the mail van.

I got some smaller hosta: Crepe Suzette, Itty Bitty, L.SmallFry, PG-13, Sam Spade (OS), Whirlwind, a second
fortunei hyacinthina (which has no sawfly damage)..oh yeah, and TWO Masquerades which I totally adore. They are all small plants, but will grow quickly I think.

and larger plants Captain's Adventure and Fragrant King.
The Fragrant King has a couple of very fat eyes which turned into fat petioles and new leafs unfurling, very happy with it. Captain's Adventure I hope ends up looking fantastic, it seems healthy, just not very large, and it was the most expensive of the bunch.

The plants arrived safely and early, a good thing. The heat was not too bad this early in the growing season. The packing is not as careful as that of the larger growers, but then the prices are lower as well. Just order for early shipment. Or ASAP. If I order again, it will be for really late delivery at the end of growing season, when heat may be less deadly for plants. Like November!

I had ordered the 2 Masquerades in December 2011, when there was no shipping charge, for spring delivery, and Jim sent me an email in early April that I could add more to that order, still free shipping, and they'd be shipping earlier than intended because of hosta already waking up and growing. So I added the other plants, and all came for no shipping fee. Easy to deal with.

And, after a week or so in the pots, they are all spry and fit looking....and growing nicely with no insect damage.